Return of Sen
by Yuki Eturna
Summary: Thirty five years have passed since a little girl was forced to leave behind a dear friend, and Chihiro now has a daughter of her own. At twenty, she knows that her mother's bedtime stories were just that: stories. So when she takes one last walk in the forest before Chihiro moves them to the big city, she makes a discovery that will change everything she thought she knew.
1. Chapter 1: Discovery

_I wrote this a few weeks ago for a fanfiction contest at Naka-Kon 2013 at Overland Park, KS this past weekend. We were given a 5,000 word maximum, so I was unable to actually get all the way into the story. However, it still won me first place! I would like to know what you guys think of this and if you think I should continue it. Thanks much and enjoy!_

_~Yuki~_

**CHAPTER 1: DISCOVERY**

A small breeze whispered through the forest, leaves trembling lightly. Birds sang their greetings to the rising sun, ready to face the day. The first rays of sunlight danced through gaps in the trees. A nearby stream sparkled like a finely-cut gem, a light mist rising off the surface. Tall, sturdy trees creaked peacefully as their early morning shadows embraced one another. Rustles of animals sounded every so often, adding to the music of the woods.

A dull thud and a string of curses startled a nearby bird from its roost, shattering the quiet tranquility. An old, overgrown road ran through the center of the trees, and sprawled in the middle, in the dirt, lay a young woman. Tendrils of dark hair had come free of their long braid, sticking to a sweaty, heart-shaped face. Contrastingly light eyes stared, annoyed, back at the tree root her running shoe had caught on. Sighing in frustration, she stood and dusted the dirt from her front. It was a good thing she had decided at the last minute to wear a light shirt and jeans instead of her new sun-dress; with as many times as she'd fallen that morning, it would have ended up ruined.

Another breeze sent soothingly cool air across her face, causing her to stare wistfully up at the trees. This thought that this may be the last time she ever traveled this path brought a surprising tightness to her chest. Her mother loved this place as much as she did; why she would suddenly decide to uproot them was beyond the young woman. She just couldn't fathom it. Hadn't her mother always talked about how special this forest was? Hadn't she raised her on bedtime stories of fantastical adventures?

Though it was true she was now too old to believe in such things, the forest still felt somehow magical to her. She couldn't help but feel as though she'd stepped into another world, each time she'd crossed into the shadows of the trees. She knew it was merely the large contrast between her usual busy city life and the peaceful calm of the forest, but that didn't matter. When she was here, for a little while at least, she was small again, filled with wonder and anticipation of what she may encounter.

That's why she'd decided to take one last walk before they made preparations to move deeper into the city. Ever since her mother had first told her the stories, she'd spent so many days exploring by herself. She had no _actual_ expectations to find anything; she knew now they were merely stories. It helped ease the tension to be able to go about a familiar task. Her house had felt too constraining since the announcement.

The young woman kicked at stones as she walked, lost in thought as she frowned at the ground. An unfamiliar sound caught her attention, lifting her gaze. She stopped, eyes and mouth wide open. There was no way she was seeing what was in front of her. She'd walked this path hundreds of times, farther than where she was currently standing, and all she'd ever encountered were more trees. She reached out a trembling hand and felt a cool, smooth surface beneath her palm. Two shuddering breaths later, she backed up, nearly tripping over something that she was absolutely certain had not been there a moment before. The moss-covered statue stared unseeingly at her, a wide grin spreading eerily across its stone face. Once more, the woman looked back in awe.

Looming over her was a large, red building, patches of white peeking through where plaster had fallen away. The hands of a massive clock remained unmoving, rusted in place. The young woman could almost feel the chill of frozen time as she stood in the shadows, shivering lightly. Goosebumps raised over her arms as she stared down a dark tunnel beneath the clock. A sudden wind blew through the entrance, causing the sound that had caused her to stop earlier. It sounded as though the building was yawning, . A sense of foreboding settled itself in her heart as she struggled with the sudden appearance of the structure. Logic tried to wiggle itself around the shock in her mind, telling her she'd probably just always missed the path in her earlier trips. She couldn't quite force herself to believe it.

Her indecision nipped at her resolve from earlier, threatening to send her running back home. Back to the bare walls of empty rooms. Back to packing her entire life into stacks of boxes. Back to the mother who made the decision for her, giving her absolutely no say in the matter. Tears pricked her eyes at the thought of leaving. She had set out that day to find something, not knowing at the time what it may be, and now that she had found it, she was just going to chicken out? Shaking her head in answer, she clenched her jaw and squared her shoulders. She took a trembling step towards the yawning maw of the building. Swallowing, she took another. And another. Slowly, but surely, she forced herself through the archway, hugging the wall.

It was much colder than she expected, and she shivered involuntarily. She pressed on, though, and every so often, she stole a glance back towards the entrance. Each time it appeared smaller, and smaller, until it was barely a pinprick of light. To her relief, though, as the entrance shrank, the exit grew. She could already make out a few benches, and curiosity quickened her pace. The young woman jolted to a halt as she left the tunnel, stunned into stillness. A large, empty room lay before her, the dusty benches placed in an orderly fashion. A water fountain occupied the middle of the room, long dried up. Leaves and twigs littered the floor.

She barely registered any of these things. What caught her eye was the sunlight filtering through a beautiful stain-glass window on the opposite wall. Rainbows of color scattered through the room, bringing a touch of warmth to the otherwise desolate place. She walked to stand in the patch of colored sunlight below the window, marveling at how untouched by time it looked. Her eyes fluttered closed as she soaked in the light, relaxing for the first time since discovering the building. Soft rustling could be heard just beyond yet another open archway; she had completely missed it in her awe. Reluctantly, she left her little rainbow and stepped outside into full mid-morning sunlight. Once again, she was moved to stillness.

Waving grass flowed across a hilly meadow as far as she could see. Stone ruins poked up here and there, eroded smooth by years of exposure. A rocky river bed split the meadow in two, a mere trickle of water flowing through it. Something about the vastness of the meadow and the warm breeze filled the young woman with energy. She took a deep breath, the smell of earth, flowers, and clean water tickling her nose. She was nearly vibrating with pent up energy now, and she had the sudden urge to run. Taking off her socks and shoes, she sprinted across the meadow. Her arms spread wide, she ran as fast as her bare feet could carry her, practically flying over the grass. It was soft and soothing on her feet after hours of hiking.

Finally reaching the river bed, she slowed to a stop, collapsing with breathy laughter. She hadn't felt so alive in years! Something about this place touched her soul in a way she'd never felt before. It felt like home here. Sighing in content, she let her feet rest on the wet rocks. What little water flowed through cooled her feet, and she took the chance to rinse them clean. A strange, pleasant tingle worked its way up her body while she washed. She'd always had a deep love for water that she couldn't explain. When she swam, she felt strong and sure, almost like she were a completely new person. Smiling at the thought, she lay back in the grass, yawning as she grew more and more relaxed. Soon, soft snores filled the air, for she had fallen fast asleep.


	2. Chapter 2: Return

**CHAPTER 2: RETURN**

A rather loud caw from nearby startled the sleeping young woman into wakefulness. She sat bolt upright just as a large black bird took off towards the sunset. A gasp escaped her lips. Sunset! How had she slept that long? Rubbing her eyes vigorously, she stood up, the shock of cold water on her toes more than enough to chase away the grogginess. She blinked a few times to clear her vision and started at the sight before her. The stone steps had gone unnoticed earlier as she relaxed by the river bed, but now that she saw them, she was more than curious to see what lay beyond. Biting her lip, she put her socks and shoes back on, knowing she'd have to be quick if she wanted to make it home before dark.

The young woman ascended the steps and wasn't entirely surprised to see the path lined with booths and shops. She _was_ surprised to see that they all seemed to be open, even though there wasn't a soul in site. A shiver crawled up her spine as she noticed one booth in particular laden with foods of all kinds. Her mouth watered and her stomach gave an answering growl. She forced herself to walk passed it; if her mother had based her stories on this place, then she knew the food was for paying customers only, and she had no money. The glow of the setting sun shone off something in the distance. As she made her way towards it, the woman's steps became slower and slower, until they stopped all together.

A wooden bridge with red railing led to the entrance of a spectacular building. Metal stacks sprouted out of the roofs, hisses of steam filtering out. She'd never seen the huge bath house before, but she immediately recognized it.

"There's nothing to be afraid of," she murmured to herself as she began walking slowly onto the bridge. "Mother must have come here as a kid. That's why it's in her stories."

"Hey, you! What are you doing just standing around?"

The young woman let out a high-pitched squeak of fright as she jumped in surprise. Spinning around, she saw a young man about her age, frowning irritably. She was immediately struck by his appearance: a blue himaka over white clothes, secured with a green sash, and traditional Japanese sandals. She'd never seen people wear them in day-to-day life; very few traditional families lived in her area. She had also never used the word beautiful to describe a man, but that's exactly what he was. An unruly mop of jet black hair fell into sapphire eyes, accentuated by his pale skin. His soft features smoothed from annoyance to surprise.

"Hey, wait a minute. You're a human. You're not supposed to be here." So fast she almost missed it, the man moved behind her and began to push her back towards the river bed. "If you don't leave before the sun sets, things are going to get incredibly complicated around here and frankly, I don't need the headache," he grumbled at her as he pushed. The young woman dug her feet in the ground.

"I-I can find the way myself, thank you very much!" she stammered, half from indignity, half from fluster. She shoved his hands away and straightened her shirt, looking to the west. The last rays of light began to die as the sun disappeared slowly over the horizon. Unnatural light suddenly flared to life in her peripheral vision, and she spun around to see rows upon rows of lanterns shining brightly.

"It's happening just like in mother's stories," she whispered fearfully, taking a step back. She'd completely forgotten about the young man and bumped right into him. Strong hands gripped her arms as she wobbled. "It's not real," she said. "It can't be real. It's not possible." The man ignored her, looking around wildly.

"Damn," he cursed, taking her by the wrist. "We can't be caught here. Oh, Boh is going to be furious." A jolt of recognition shocked her mind, though she couldn't exactly recall where she'd heard it. The man tried to pull her in the direction of the bath house. Unfortunately, her legs were trembling too much to move. "Oh, for gods' sake," he growled, scooping her up roughly in his arms as he practically flew towards the entrance. At the last second, he veered off to a small, secret door. Strange creatures were beginning to filter out, but thankfully, they were too busy to notice the couple.

As she was sat down next to a tangle of bushes, the young woman began to panic. All those stories her mother told her...all the adventures...they were all true. Hyperventilating, she gripped her head. "No, no, no, no..." she whimpered. "I didn't want this. I didn't think I'd find anything. I didn't think it was real..." An annoyed sound broke into the woman's thoughts, causing her to look up. The man was staring at her with barely concealed disgust.

"I don't know how you got here,human," he said through gritted teeth. "This place was supposed to be unreachable after the barrier was put up."

Sniffling a little, the woman bit her lip. "I was just walking in the woods like I always did...I was...well, I guess I was searching for this place." She squeezed her eyes shut, curling into a ball. "But I never actually expected to _find_ it! I—did you say barrier?" she asked suddenly. The man let out an exasperated sigh.

"Look, miss, I don't know the details. It happened before I started work here, back when some human girl wandered in and bested the old ruler of the bath house. My master decided it best to sever the physical connection between this world and the human world."

The woman rubbed her temples as she absorbed this new information. She forced her mind to look past the impossibility of her situation and instead organize what she knew. One, she had somehow stumbled upon the bath house from her mother's stories, meaning that they had actually happened. Considering that, the human girl he mentioned has to be her mom when she was a child. Obviously, something had gone wrong with the barrier, because she had managed to stumble her way into the Spirit World. She swallowed nervously at that. Taking a deep breath, she collected herself and stood, facing the man.

"Alright. I don't know how I got here, but we'll worry about that later. We should figure out what to do from here," she said, trailing off towards the end as she remembered bits from the stories.

"We?" asked the man in surprise. "Who said anything about _we_? I'm already in enough trouble as it is; I don't need you making it worse." He made to turn away, but the girl grabbed his sleeve.

"Wait, where are you going? You're not gonna help me?" she asked incredulously.

The man yanked his arm from her grasp, her fingers stinging. "I am not. Figure it out yourself."

"Why did you bother bringing me back here if you were just going to abandon me?" the woman whispered hoarsely, holding back tears. This pulled the man up short, and he stared at her for a long moment before answering in a quiet voice.

"I'm not sure." He moved to open the sliding door and stepped up with one foot. He paused, and asked without facing her. "What's your name?"

The woman chewed her lip, hesitating. She knew now the impact telling him would have, if he was aware of the events of the past. And she knew it would only complicate things.

"Your name," he pressed while she wavered.

"It's Sen," she blurted, before she could change her mind. "My name is Sen."


	3. Chapter 3: Secrets

**CHAPTER 3: SECRETS**

The man froze as she spoke her name, eyes wide. With the same unnerving speed as earlier, he was back at her side, holding her face in her hands. His crystal blue eyes bore into hers, causing a flush to creep up her cheeks. She jerked back, unsure of what else to do as her heart pounded in her chest. He was still staring at her with that awed look on his face.

"You're Sen," he murmured, reaching a hand towards her. "From the stories." Sen shook her head vigorously.

"No, her real name was Chihiro," she explained in a shaky voice. "She's my mother. She must have named me after the name Yubaba gave her."

"You know of Yubaba?!" the man cried, his eyes widening more. His unwavering gaze made her squirm uncomfortably.  
"I know all about this place," she continued quietly, staring up at the sky. "The bath house, the spirits, Yubaba, Haku..." she trailed off at the name of her mother's childhood crush. When she returned her eyes to the man, he was more composed, but his face was expressionless.

"I think you'd better come with me," he said evenly, taking her by the hand. His hands were soft and smooth, obviously more suited to paperwork than hard labor. He led her down an ancient set of wooden stairs that hugged the outside wall, down below the main quarters. Sen knew exactly where he was taking her but not why. Her heart chilled when they passed a broken step; she wondered if she'd ever get used to discovering bits from the stories. Shivering, both in fear and because it was getting cold, she huddled close to the man's back, taking in his scent. She couldn't even begin to describe it...if sunlight could have a smell, it would smell like this man.

"What's your name?" Sen asked, breaking the silence. Her question seemed to throw him off as he stole a startled gaze back at her before continuing down the steps.

"You can call me Li," he finally said as they reached a rusty iron door.

"That's a rather unusual name," Sen commented, staring warily at the door. Li pulled it open effortlessly, revealing a wall of steam.

"I'm a rather unusual guy," he shot back. "Come on."

Sen reluctantly followed him into the cloudy hallway. The feeling of knowing what to expect without actually having been there before unnerved her. She squeezed her eyes shut, not actually wanting to see the many-armed man who ran the boiler for the baths. Abruptly, she was pulled off to the right. She opened her eyes to find there was a corridor hidden in the steam. They faced a small elevator, tucked into barely noticeable nook that blended in with the wall. Without a word, Li pulled her in and pulled a lever. The door slide shut soundless right before they shot upwards.

"So, um..." Sen began as she fidgeted, not really sure what to say. She'd never been alone with a guy before, let alone in such a small space. "Where exactly are we going?"

It took Li a moment to answer. When she looked at him, he looked lost in thought. "We're going to see Boh, the master of the bathhouse. Normally, you'd need a contract to stay here, but...given the circumstances, he may make an exception."

Sen shuddered at the thought. She knew what he meant by contract, and she had no intention of giving up her name. There was no river god to save her. She'd probably never see her home again if that happened. Though then again, hadn't losing her home been why she'd set out in the first place? Sighing, she sagged and leaned against the wall, a headache forming behind her brow. A soft pressure settled on her shoulder and she looked over.

"Don't worry, you'll be fine," Li said with a small smile, giving her a light squeeze. "He's not as scary as Yubaba was. He'll be able to help." Sen doubted that very much, but she didn't really have a choice in the matter.

After what seemed like hours, the elevator finally slowed to a stop. A ding jerked a dozing Sen awake. Li quickly left the elevator, leaving her scrambling to follow. She barely noticed the lavish hall, lined with fancy columns and tapestries. She was focused on the ceiling-high double doors encompassing the wall she faced. It was hard telling the amount of strength it would take to open them, but there was no one around to do so. Sen jumped when, with a flick of Li's wrist, they swung open easily, revealing a dimly lit area.

"Li!" a masculine voice boomed. "I've been wondering where you ran off to!"

Li bowed and stepped aside to allow Sen in the room. This time, the surroundings caught her complete attention. They seemed so...normal. There were personal effects that marked this as an obviously lived in room, and it seemed well cared for. The light came from a flickering fire off to the side in a stone hearth. An office desk sat a little farther in, jumbled with coins, papers, pens, and other things you might expect from business owner. The least normal thing in the room was the man who sat behind the desk. He was a mountain of a man, dressed in red robes. Sen was immediately reminded of a young Santa Claus, with his goatee and rosy cheeks. His eyes, fixed on Li, sparkled with mirth. All in all, he seemed like a well fed, jolly man. Sen relaxed.

"I am sorry, Boh." Li spoke formally, straightening from his bow. "I faced an unusual circumstance while making my normal rounds."

"Yes, I see that," Boh laughed, turning to Sen. "Come in, child, come in! I must say, I'm never expected to see another human in my life time!" Sen cringed a little at the loudness of his voice, but she tentatively stepped forward and gave a small bow.

"I-I apologize for intruding," she stammered in a trembling voice. His scrutiny was making her nervous again. "I was just walking in the woods when I found the clock building. I knew I probably shouldn't enter, but since I already recognized it, I figured—"

"Recognized it?" Boh shouted. "Why, the barrier has been in place since before you were born, child! How could you have possibly recognized it?" Li stepped forward, giving her a small nod when she hesitated.

"Well...my mother used to tell me stories..." She began slowly. "Stories about...a bath house for the spirits."

Boh's face belayed surprise for only a moment before smoothing out into a smile. "I see...so you are Chihiro's daughter?" Hearing her mother's name so suddenly sent Sen reeling backward. Li materialized behind her and kept her from tripping over her feet.

"So you are," he continued in a quieter voice. "Well, if she's told you everything, then you should know that Yubaba was my mother."

"You were the baby?" Sen blurted, eyes wide. Boh simply nodded.

"I am indeed. Chihiro was a dear friend of mine and I was very sad to see her leave. We all were, except maybe Mother."

"What about...what about Haku?" Sen asked softly. She knew from how her mother talked about him that she had loved him, but was never able to find out how he felt.

"Ah, Kohaku," Boh said wistfully. "Never seen someone use magic quite like him. Only someone with his power could make clip the connection between two entire worlds. Nearly drove the dragon out of his mind."

"Wait, Haku separated the worlds? Why? Didn't he promise my mother they'd see each other again?" The words rushed out of the young woman before she could stop them. Boh rubbed his temples and sighed.

"Yes, he did, and that's exactly why he separated us. He feared Chihiro's return more than he yearned for their reunion. He did not want her to end up in Yubaba's clutches once again, knowing Mother wouldn't be outsmarted twice." The large man sat back in his chair, absently spinning a gold coin between his fingers. "He left his apprentice position shortly after. He disappeared for years, only to reappear the day Mother passed away and I took over the bath house, Li in tow."

"I was very young," Li interjected softly. "I'd lost all memory of who I was and where I came from. Kohaku, knowing my pain, took me in and began to teach me everything he knew about magic. Once we arrived at the bath house, he taught me the duties he had once performed himself." Here he paused, frowning in anger. "He left after I had learned all he had to teach. Just up and disappeared. Like I didn't even matter." Li clenched his hands into fists, the knuckles turning white.

"Li here is very bright," Boh said fondly. "What others have taken years of apprenticing to learn, Li did by the time he was five. I imagine Kohaku felt he was no longer needed, and being in the bath house reminded him too much of what he had lost. I don't think he realized that Li had placed him as a father figure in his heart, not able to remember his real one"

Sen shyly squeezed Li's shoulder, surprising both him and herself. The look in his eyes tore at her heart.

"It's okay, Li," she said, wanting very much to comfort him. "I never knew who my real father was, either."

Boh suddenly began to laugh heartily, giving her a mysterious look. "Oh, but my dear, you do know. I saw it right away."

A frown formed on Sen's lips, her heart pounding. "W-what are you talking about? I never knew him because he died before I was born. My mother said so." Before she had even finished, Boh was shaking his head.

"My dear girl," he said brightly, "have you not yet notice you have not disappeared?"

Both Li and Sen stared at him in surprise. Actually, she did remember her mother mentioning how her body seemed to disappear the longer she stayed in the Spirit World, before Haku saved her. Why, then, hadn't she?

"I suppose it would be difficult for someone without my knowledge to figure it," Boh mused. He stood from his chair and moved with surprising grace to stand by the mantle. "Think about it, though. You managed to find something not able to be found by humans. You did not disappear, as humans usually do when they enter our world. You do not even smell like human. Why do you think no one noticed your presence?"

"L-li said the barrier must have failed. And he acted pretty quickly to hide me." She looked at Li for confirmation, but he seemed as confused as she.

"That is because the barrier was put up before Li came here. He doesn't know that gods and spirits can pass through it freely. It's quite rare for a spirit to venture out, but not so much for a god. They're as much connected to the human world as this one."

"So you're saying I'm, what...some kind of spirit?" Sen asked incredulously. "I'd have to be dead for that, right?" She was seriously panicking now.

"No, no, my dear," Boh continued cheerfully. "You are very much alive. And so is your father. I told you he disappeared for awhile, and I think he must have gone to the human world. To find something precious he'd lost."

"Hold on, Boh," Li interrupted, looking very pale. "You can't possibly be suggesting what I think you are. It's forbidden for a god to interact with humans in their own world."

Boh nodded, not looking at all bothered by Li's revelation.

"Would someone please explain to me what's going on?" Sen demanded, losing patience.

"Haven't you figured it out?" Li whispered. "He's saying Haku ventured out into the human world to find Chihiro. And it seems he found her." He said the last part with a pointed stare at her.

"Li is quite right!" Boh boomed happily. "You are the child of Haku and Chihiro. My dear, you are part god!


	4. Chapter 4: Beginning

_**Oh, wow, I had no idea I had *any* favs or follows on this, let alone 330 views! I apologize to those of you who did follow/fav, I've been busy all summer with a full time job and at the time I posted this, I had final exams. I've been batting the idea back and forth of re-writing the beginning of the story, due to the fact the pace was a bit rushed since it was written for a context with a maximum word limit, but I finally decided against it. That out of the way, I wrote up another chapter, though it's a bit shorter than the others, for which I apologize. I would greatly like some reviews from you guys, as it helps me know where I need improvement and what I'm doing right! 3 I'll be attempting to work on this between work, classes, and homework, so keep your eyes open.**_

_**Throwing in a disclaimer**__**: I am saddened to say I do not own the characters, locations, etc. of Spirited Away.**_

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Chapter 4: Beginning

A little girl squatted on a mound of dirt in her suburban backyard, her dress a collage of grass-stains, dirt smears, and pink frills. Lightning bugs danced in the summer air as darkness rapidly devoured the twilight hour. The girl giggled as she hopped around, gleefully cupping her hand over a bright light only to frown in disappointment at her empty hands. It lasted just long enough for another flash of light to catch her eye, and she was off once again. She was fascinated by the dancing lights, especially the pretty blue and green ones.

The girl frowned again and tilted her head in confusion. She'd never seen the fireflies flash anything except yellow, but her young mind accepted it easily. The frown disappeared to be replace by a wide smile as she hastened to capture one of the new lights. A squeal of victory escaped her lips as her hands began to close around one of them. Almost as soon as she touched it, the light vanished before her eyes. Startled, the girl tripped, cutting her knee and losing one of her shoes in the process. Tears spilled down her cheeks as she wailed, holding her hand over her knee as it bled. Even so, she stood up to find her other shoe, knowing her mommy would be very upset if she showed up with just one.

Still wailing, the girl felt around for the shoe, her blurred vision making it that much harder to see through the now-dark yard. Little whimpers escaped her whenever she scraped her cut knee on the ground, but she was determined to find that shoe. Pink shouldn't be this hard to see, should it?

"Does this belong to you, my dear?" came a man's soft voice from behind her. The little girl turned around so fast that she fell on her rear, her bottom lip trembling. She couldn't quite make out the man's features; only that he had green eyes as bright as the firefly lights. When he knelt down to her level, the girl started crying again, her hands clenched against her eyes.

"I mean you no harm, child," the man said soothingly. She lowered her hands to look at him again, hiccuping as she tried to catch her breath. The man softly placed a hand on her head, smiling reassuringly, and a quiet calmness spread throughout the little girl. She immediately knew this man would not harm her, and she smiled shyly through her drying tears. His eyes drifted down to the dirty cut on her knee, and a look that she'd seen often on her mother's face passed over his features; half-affection, half-exasperation. "Close your eyes, dear one," he murmured.

She did as she was told, her small hands covering her face. Something soft and warm touched her knee, smoothing away the hurt. After a moment, the man let her open her eyes, which promptly widened to saucer-like proportions as she stared at the barely noticeable scar. Her gaze shifted up to the man, her expression full of a child's wonder. The man simply continued to smile and pushed the missing shoe into the little girl's hands. When he stood, she scrambled up with him. When he started to walk away, towards the forest, she fumbled to put on her shoe before running up and grabbing his sleeve. She barely registered how purely white it was, or the silky-soft feel. For some reason, she did not want this man to go, so she clung to him as children often do.

The man froze, looking back at the girl with a troubled expression. Kneeling down once again, he took the little girl's hands in his. "You cannot go where I go, dear one," he told her slowly, forcing a smile. The girl couldn't see the pain behind it and smiled right back, causing his to falter slightly. Clearing his throat, the man dramatically looked one way, then the other, before leaning in and mock-whispering to the child, "If I let you in on a secret, will you be a good girl and stay here?" With eyes wide once again, the girl nodded vigorously, hanging on his every word.

Another smile fixed itself on the man's face as he spoke quietly. "I used magic to heal your knee." He laughed as the girl's eyes got impossibly wider. He stood up, bending at the waist to meet her eyes. "Now, how many little girls can say that?," he asked with a wink, putting a finger up to his lips. "But this has to stay our little secret, hmm?" The girl nodded again, a little less enthusiastically. With one last pat to her head, the man turned around once again and made for the forest.

This time, the man stopped on his own. Half-turning, not quite looking at her, he asked, "By the way, child, what is your name?"

"It's Sen!" the little girl said in a clear, sweet voice. She did not understand the strange choking sound he made as she said this, but she heard the sadness in his voice when he next spoke.

"Sen, is it? What a pretty name." Without a glance back, the man faded into the shadows of the forest. The little girl stared at the spot where he vanished for a moment, before quickly running inside to tell her mommy all about the mysterious fairy man who healed her knee, completely forgetting her promise to secrecy.


	5. Chapter 5: Reasons

_**Sorry for the long wait, everyone! You should know that, as a working college student, I have various clubs and activities that I generally do after classes each day. Especially this semester, since I'm having to spend many after hours working on my ceramics projects (we learned how to throw on the pottery wheel and make bowls!). Thank you so much to those of you who left reviews for me, they continue to make me smile! I'll be writing chapters whenever I can, and I'll be trying to make the chapters longer in the future. For now, I hope you enjoy my newest chapter!**_

_**Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not claim "Spirited Away" or its characters.**_

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**Chapter 5: Reasons**

Sen felt herself waking, though she wasn't sure she wanted to. The dream she'd just had...it felt more like a long-lost memory than a random conjuring of her sleeping mind. The man seemed oddly familiar, yet she was sure she'd never met him before. Maybe she should ask her mom about it? She opened her eyes to get up and do just that, but was shocked to see a high ceiling criss-crossed with wooden beams instead of glow-in-the-dark stars dotting its surface. Panic froze her in place until the events of the past few hours came rushing back to her, recognizing the flickering hearth, the cluttered desk, and the two very concerned faces.

Homesickness warred with the anger sparked by her mother's secrets as she attempted to swallow the hard lump that had lodged itself in her throat. Wetness gathered at her lashes, but she willed them not to fall, closing her eyes tight. She refused to lose her composure in front of these strange beings. Several faint pops sounded from her finger joints as her fists clenched against the soft rug. Once her emotions were under control, Sen slowly opened her eyes again and sat up, crossing her legs beneath her.

"Are you alright, dear?" Boh asked her gently. "I do apologize; I did not expect you to faint." Sen nodded mutely and took a steadying breath before addressing him and his companion.

"If I heard you right," she started quietly, "Haku passed through the barrier, years ago, to meet with my mother and have me. Is that right?"

Boh shifted a bit uncomfortably from his kneeling position and moved himself back to his office chair. "I don't think he necessarily _intended_ for Chihiro to fall pregnant, but yes, he did leave to see her." He eyed Sen carefully, seeming to choose his words with care before he continued. "I know where you're going with this, Sen. And I understand that you're upset with you're father—"

"Upset?!" Sen burst out, shooting to her feet. The glare she turned on him him would have terrified a lesser man. "Oh, no, I'm not upset. I'm absolutely _furious_! He leaves my mother pining for him for ten years, and then when he finally decides to show, he knocks her up and then _leaves?!_"

"Do not speak of Master Haku that way!" Li interjected, stepping up to her with a twisted mask of anger upon his face. "He is a good, honorable man. You never even met him, you've no right—"

"I have every right to badmouth the bastard!" she shouted back, cutting him off. They were nose to nose now, and Sen was not about to back down, spirit or no spirit. "And for your information, I _did_ meet him. Once, when I was very small. I'd forgotten it until I fainted, but it only goes to show how much of a coward he really was! Sees his five year old daughter, doesn't even bother to tell her who he is, doesn't _bother_ to go see the woman that loves him, and I've got a feeling he's probably the one who made me forget in the first place."

Li made a disgusted sound in the back of his throat, matching her glare for glare. "Did it ever occur to you, you _stupid_ human, that just _maybe_ Master Haku had his reasons for handling things the way he did?"

Angry tremors shook Sen's slender frame as she poked Li in the chest, hard. "I had to listen to my mother cry, nearly every night, for _twenty years_, hoping and praying that Haku would come back for her. What reason could possibly be good enough to justify that? And how much honor could a man that abandons his family possibly have?!"

"THAT IS ENOUGH!" The force of Boh's shout shook the room, knocking down various objects and loosing a cloud of dust from the ceiling. Sen and Li froze in place, both equal shades of pale at the fierce look of annoyance dominating the big man's features. "I do not want to hear one more word out of either of you until I am done speaking. Is that _perfectly _clear?" he growled, fixing them each with a scowl in turn. Without giving them a chance to answer, he turned first to Li.

"You should know better than to behave in such a fashion. I would be lying if I said I am not immeasurably disappointed in how you have handled this situation. Sen has not had the same experiences with her father that you have; it is only natural that she would harbor ill feelings towards him after all these years. Antagonizing her is _not _the way to go about this."

"And you!" Boh continued, spinning to face Sen, who immediately lost the smug look she'd adopted. "I do understand that you're dealing with some rather difficult news, on top of being thrust into a world that you previously believed a fairy tale. However, that does not give you the freedom to insult one of my dearest friends, based on circumstances that you know _absolutely nothing_ about. You have lived mere _minutes_ compared to the vast amount of time some of the beings in this world have existed. You would do well to remember that you are not in the human world anymore; different rules govern us, and the greatest and brightest of our kind must often sacrifice their own wants and desires for the greater good of both worlds."

Sen hung her head in embarrassment, feeling much like the scolded child who spoke ill to her elder. She had not meant to offend anyone; she'd just been so blindingly mad that the words had rolled off her tongue like water. The anger had burned away to leave a deep heartache in its wake. She had thought getting even a partial explanation behind her broken family would ease the pain, but it didn't; it simply added to it. At least now, though, she had the chance to come to terms with that knowledge, and in turn, finally begin to move past the anger she held towards her father. _Maybe moving wasn't such a bad idea after all..._

With her adrenaline ebbing, the pressure of the day became too much for Sen's slender shoulders to bear. She slid to the floor, pulling her knees to her chin as she rested her forehead against them. Tears slid down her cheeks as her resolve to hold them back crumbled, and the weary girl sobbed without care to the two men bearing witness. While Boh looked on in sympathy for his dear friends' daughter, Li fidgeted uncomfortably. His experience with women past a professional setting was zero, and crying was not something the bath house spirits were prone to. Instinct told him he should comfort her in some way, but is mind was coming up blank. A sharp pain blossomed on his shin, and he had to swallow the yelp that followed. He turned, grumbling, to see his employer mouth slowly, "Say you're sorry."

A resigned sigh escaped Li's lips as he slowly knelt next to Sen's shaking form. He placed a hesitant hand on her shoulder and gave a gentle squeeze. "Look, Sen," he began in a voice he hoped sounded apologetic. "I'm very sorry about how I acted earlier. Hearing you say things like that about Haku flared my temper, but I could have handled it differently. I should have been thinking of your feelings on the matter." Here he paused, indecision clear on his features. He shook it away after a moment, his face softening as he bent closer to Sen. "I can't begin to understand how hard your situation must be. I also can't promise that everything will work out the way you want it to, but I _can_ promise that I will be there for you, if you need me. As your friend."

Sen's sobs had died down to sniffles during Li's apology, and she looked at him with new eyes. She'd thought him beautiful when she had first seen him, but with his expression soft and unmarred by negative emotions, he was breathtaking. Quite literally, as Sen found breathing normally to be suddenly difficult. His sapphire gaze held her emerald one, upsetting the resident butterflies in her stomach. While she still didn't trust him, being his friend sound incredibly appealing at that moment. Besides, she could use an ally if she wanted any hope of finding her way home and out of this whole mess. And so, after taking a moment to quell her fluttering heart, Sen turned to the handsome spirit-man.

"Thank you, Li," she said with a small smile. "I think I would very much like a friend."


End file.
